General Department of Vietnam Customs strives to accomplish key tasks excellently in 2021

Deputy Director General Nguyen Duong Thai made a speech at the conference.

Many outstanding results

Speaking about the outstanding results of the customs sector in 2020, Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs Nguyen Duong Thai said that the General Department of Vietnam Customs has deployed solutions on revenue collection and loss prevention such as administrative procedure reform, simplification and automated process of customs procedures, trade facilitation and revenue collection.

As a result, revenue collection in 2020 hit VND 318,090 billion, 93.8% of current appropriation (VND 338,000 billion) and105.7% (VND 300,000 billion) compared to figure reported to National Assembly, contributing to the revenue of the central budget and ensure balance of state revenue.

The task of building institutions and policies in the field of Customs has been strengthened, in which General Department of Vietnam Customs focuses on building and reporting to the Ministry of Finance to submit to the Government for the promulgation of Decision No. 38/QD-TTg dated January 12, 2021 approved the project "Reforming the model of quality and food safety inspection for imported goods" with outstanding reform content to assign the Customs authority as the focal point for quality and food safety inspection for import goods.

Administrative procedure reform has been implemented synchronously and effectively in all stages, increasing the use of IT and modern customs management methods in handling administrative procedures, contributing to reducing clearance time.

From the beginning of 2019 until now, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has completed the requirements of professional problems on building an advanced, modern and integrated IT system of the customs sector. The contents have been urgently deployed to hire IT systems on the basis of the approval of the Party Civil Affairs Committee of the Ministry of Finance”, Deputy Director General Nguyen Duong Thai said.

Regarding the fight against crime; combating smuggling and trade fraud, Deputy Director General Nguyen Duong Thai said that in 2020, the General Department of Vietnam Customs promoted its role as assisting the Permanent Agency of the National Steering Committee 389, strengthening the work of inspecting, examining and fighting smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeiting and illegal transport of goods across border on routes, focusing on key areas, sensitive and fraudulent origin of products, illegal transshipment, goods in transit, temporarily imported and re-export, deposited in bonded warehouses and banned goods.

The control of drugs and precursors has been strengthened, eliminating many cases of transnational drug trafficking with a large number of seizures on all levels, types and areas.

Regarding management of the internal sector, Deputy Director General Nguyen Duong Thai said in 2020, the General Department of Vietnam Customs continued to maintain team discipline; building the "Professional, Transparent and Efficient" Customs force; increase investment in modern technical equipment and facilities; and extensive integration with international partners in Customs.

The organisational system of the General Department of Vietnam Customs was refined towards streamlining, meeting requirements of modernisation, administrative reform and international integration. To step up rotation and mobilisation of customs officials in leadership planning at the division, department level and equivalent title from General Department to Customs Departments of provinces and cities and vice versa.

Accomplishing political tasks

Regarding the implementation of tasks in 2021, the Deputy Director General said that, bringing into play achieved results and overcoming shortcomings and limitations of 2020, the General Department of Vietnam Customs is determined to unite and strive to accomplish key tasks excellently in 2021.

In particular, focusing on the synchronous and drastic implementation of solutions and tasks assigned in Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP, Resolution No. 02/NQ-CP, the Action Plan of the Ministry of Finance and implementing the solutions to facilitate trade, improve State management effectiveness, combat revenue loss in implementing the task of revenue collection in 2021, completing at least 5% of the estimate of State revenue.

Secondly, strengthen administrative procedure reform, modernise customs professional work, facilitate trade and import-export activities and reduce time and costs of cargo clearance.

Specifically, building the Customs Development Strategy 2021 - 2030, defining the target by 2025 as successfully building a smart, modern Customs, reaching the level of Customs authority of advanced countries.

To build an advanced and modern customs IT system towards digital customs with high degree of automation and integrated into a single system, strongly applying the results of the industrial revolution 4.0.

Based on the approval of the Ministry of Finance, hiring IT system services to meet core professional requirements of the Customs sector, towards digital customs, striving to complete by the end of 2021. At the same time, continue to promote the role of the Permanent Agency of National Steering Committee on ASEAN Single Window, National Single Window and Trade Facilitation.

Thirdly, implement criminal prevention, anti-smuggling and trade fraud. Specifically, promoting the role and duties of advising the Permanent Agency of the National Steering Committee 389.

Strengthen control and the fight against smuggling and trade fraud, illegal transport of goods across border, origin fraud and illegal transshipment on all routes. Strengthening to deploy professional measures for drug control in all stages, levels and localities.

Fourthly, to strengthen Customs to be clean, strong, disciplined and with integrity. To correct and tighten discipline in terms of implementing duties and public duties.

Proposing to the Ministry of Finance, Deputy Director General Nguyen Duong Thai said the plan of hiring an IT system to meet core professional requirements of the Customs sector, towards digital customs, suggested units under the ministry closely coordinate and assign staff to support the General Department of Vietnam Customs in implementing hiring plan to ensure the schedule and requirements as set out.

At the same time, the ministry's units are requested to coordinate with the General Department of Vietnam Customs to assist in the elaboration of the decree stipulating the management mechanism, mode, order and procedures for quality and food safety inspection for imported goods in the course of implementing the scheme on reforming the model of quality and food safety inspection for imported goods.

Regarding VAT refunds, the Deputy Director General proposed the Ministry of Finance strengthen directing the General Department of Taxation to intensify the inspection and control of VAT refunds, especially enterprises operating export activities of goods with large taxable value (such as electronic components and high-value handicrafts). Reviewing regulations to propose and recommend to amendments and supplements for ensuring strict management.

"With the attention and close direction of the leaders of the Ministry of Finance, the close coordination of units under the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Vietnam Customs will strive to accomplish the assigned political tasks, together with the entire Finance sector, successfully implemented the socio-economic development and the State budget in 2021 plan and the following years,” Deputy Director General Nguyen Duong Thai said.